1791: Michael Faraday is born. In his 76 years on the planet, the chemist-physicist will make fundamental contributions to our understanding of electricity and magnetism, advise governments and establish lasting institutions of scientific education. Faraday came from a working-class family and had to go to work after rudimentary schooling in reading, writing and arithmetic. But […]

1716: Boston Light, the first lighthouse in the New World, starts guiding ships into Boston Harbor. As early as the late 17th century, settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony guided ships into Boston Harbor with bonfires. Seeking a more permanent solution for navigation, the colonial government authorized the construction of a lighthouse on Little Brewster […]